Desert Island Discs: the 40 greatest guests

The thriller writer was well-known for being reclusive and so Plomley was surprised when Maclean accepted his invitation to appear on the show. However, when Maclean began to talk about his love of the Canadian countryside, the producer became anxious and prompted Plomley to ask about his novels. It soon became clear that this was not THE Alistair Maclean but the-then Canadian minister of tourism. The episode was immediately wiped.